Methods for adjusting a fee associated with a payments transaction

Abstract

A system and method for substantially increasing billing flexibility on communications or media accounts which also offer user users the ability to make electronic purchases or other financial transactions, where those transactions are accounted for with an additional account or with the same account through which the media or communications services are offered. Charges associated with use of the communications service or making of the financial transactions may be increased or reduced depending on such factors as volume of use, number of transactions, and a monetary value of the transactions.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 monitoring the number of payment transactions made with a payment account in a period, wherein there is a fee associated with making a payment transaction made with said payment account, wherein said monitoring the number of payment transactions made with a payment account in a period is performed with at least one electronic processor;   determining when the number of payment transactions within the period meets a pre-established threshold number, wherein said determining when the number of payment transactions within the period meets a pre-established threshold number is performed by at least one electronic processor;   increasing said fee to an increased fee when the number of payment transactions within the period meets said pre-established threshold number, wherein said increasing said fee to an increased fee when the number of payment transactions within the period meets a pre-established threshold number is performed with at least one electronic processor; and   applying said increased fee for each payment transaction made with said account within the period after said pre-established threshold number is met, wherein said applying said increased fee for each payment transaction made with said account within the period after said pre-established threshold number is met is performed by at least one electronic processor.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said fee comprises a percentage of a purchase corresponding to a payment transaction made with said payment account. 
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said fee comprises a fixed fee. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said payment account further comprises a communications account. 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said payment account further comprises a mobile communications account. 
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said payment account further comprises a content aggregation account. 
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said payment account comprises a debit account. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said payment account comprises a credit account. 
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said period corresponds to a billing cycle associated with said payment account. 
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said pre-established threshold number comprises a first pre-established threshold, said method further comprising:
 determining when the number of payment transactions made with said payment account within the period meets a second pre-established threshold, wherein said determining when the number of payment transactions made with said payment account within the period meets a second pre-established threshold is performed by at least one electronic processor; and   further increasing said increased fee to a second increased fee when the number of payment transactions made with the account within the period meets the second pre-established threshold, wherein said further increasing said increased fee to a second increased fee when the number of payment transactions made with the account within the period meets the second pre-established threshold is performed by at least one electronic processor; and   applying said second increased fee for each payment transaction made with said payment account within the period after said second pre-established threshold is met, wherein said applying said second increased fee for each payment transaction made with said payment account within the period after said second pre-established threshold is met is performed by at least one electronic processor.   
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said second pre-established threshold corresponds with a second number of purchase transactions made with said payment account in said period. 
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said second pre-established threshold is of a type that is different than a number of purchase transactions made with said payment account in said period. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 monitoring the monetary value of payment transactions made with a payment account within a period, wherein there is a fee associated with a payment transaction made with said payment account, wherein said monitoring the monetary value of payment transactions made with a payment account within a period is performed with at least one electronic processor;   determining when the accumulated monetary value of payment transactions made with said payment account within the period meets a pre-established threshold amount, wherein said determining when the accumulated monetary value of payment transactions made with said payment account within the period meets a pre-established threshold amount is performed by at least one electronic processor;   increasing said fee to an increased fee when the accumulated monetary value of payment transactions made with said payment account within the period meets said pre-established threshold amount, wherein said increasing said fee to an increased fee when the accumulated monetary value of payment transactions made with said payment account within the period meets said pre-established threshold amount is performed by at least one electronic processor; and   applying said increased fee for each payment transaction made with said payment account within the period after said pre-established threshold amount is met, wherein said applying said increased fee for each payment transaction made with said payment account within the period after said pre-established threshold amount is met is performed by at least one electronic processor.   
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said fee comprises a percentage of a purchase corresponding to a payment transaction made with said payment account. 
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said fee comprises a fixed fee. 
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said payment account further comprises a communications account. 
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said payment account further comprises a mobile communications account. 
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said payment account further comprises a content aggregation account. 
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said payment account comprises a debit account. 
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said payment account comprises a credit account. 
     
     
         21 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said period corresponds to a billing cycle associated with said payment account. 
     
     
         22 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said pre-established threshold amount comprises a first pre-established threshold, said method further comprising:
 determining when the monetary value of payment transactions made with the payment account within a period meets a second pre-established threshold, wherein said determining when the monetary value of payment transactions made with the payment account within a period meets a second pre-established threshold is performed by at least one processor;   further increasing said increased fee to a second increased fee when the monetary value of payment transactions made with the payment account within the period meets the second pre-established threshold, wherein said further increasing said increased fee to a second increased fee when the monetary value of payment transactions made with the payment account within the period meets the second pre-established threshold is performed by at least one processor; and   applying said second increased fee for each payment transaction made with said payment account within the period after said second pre-established threshold is met, wherein said applying said second increased fee for each payment transaction made with said payment account within the period after said second pre-established threshold is met is performed by at least one electronic processor.   
     
     
         23 . The method as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said second pre-established threshold corresponds with a second monetary value of purchase transactions made with said payment account in said period. 
     
     
         24 . The method as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said second pre-established threshold is of a type that is different than a monetary value of purchase transactions made with said account in said period. 
     
     
         25 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 monitoring, with at least one electronic processor, payment transactions made with a credit payment account that has an interest rate on an unpaid credit balance;   determining when an unpaid balance on said payment account reaches a pre-established threshold amount, wherein said determining when an unpaid balance on said payment account reaches a pre-established threshold amount is performed by at least one electronic processor; and   increasing said interest rate only for a portion of the unpaid balance that pertains to charges made to said credit payments account after said unpaid balance on said payment account reaches a pre-established threshold amount, wherein said increasing said interest rate only for a portion of the unpaid balance that pertains to charges made to said credit payments account after said unpaid balance on said payment account reaches a pre-established threshold amount is performed by at least one electronic processor.